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IN BED WITH THE BOSS 39
Groaning, Jennifer turned from the mirror. It would’ve been so easy to stay in bed today and burrow under the covers. Just pretend that this wasn't happening. After all, that was her forte lately. Pretend to be in a relationship. Pretend to be in love with Scott McCall. Pretend she hadn’t just thrown all common sense and family loyalty out the window. She thought about what Emily had told her. Was she really telling the truth? Did Bruce really have some kind of history with Scott's sister? With a sigh, she glanced at the clock on her bedside table. Well, no time for breakfast, and she could grab coffee at the office. If traffic cooperated, she would just make her nine o’clock meeting with the event planners for Bennet Inc's huge annual holiday party.She took a quick shower and got dresses. Grabbing her coat and purse, she descended the steps, her mind already locked on the multiplying items on her to-do list today.“Jennifer.” a voice called. She halted at the front door, shooting
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 40
For the second time in the space of minutes, shock robbed Jennifer of speech. Icy fingers of astonishment and dread trailed down her spine.Bruce cocked his head to the side. “You believed I didn’t know about your little company all this time? Nothing gets by me. And as long as you were discreet, I didn’t see the harm in letting you dabble in business. It didn’t interfere with your responsibilities to this family. But now, your actions are jeopardizing us. If you don’t end it with Scott, I’ll ruin every business that has received money from you. And with my name and reputation, you know I could do it with just a whisper. Now, while you take some time to make your decision about who you’re giving your loyalty to, I’m going to insist you step back from your job at Bennet Inc. I’ve already asked Emily to take over some of your duties for the next few weeks. Consider it a leave of absence while you choose between a man you barely know and your family.”With that parting shot, he exited th
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 41
She hoped she didn't look horrible standing so close to him. Dressed in a dusky-lilac shift dress and a black satin jacket, with a lot of long legs showing and her ankles elevated by the four-inch heels on her shoes. Annoying and juvenile… those words began to ring in her head once again. Was he on his way to meet a woman? Was she tall and blonde and heart-stoppingly beautiful and screamingly intelligent and sophisticated? Just like the woman she'd seen with him the first day they met. Was he planning to bring her back to his place to make wildly passionate love with her while she went home to lay alone in her bed and— "Where—?" Her small chin jerked up and their eyes clashed; tiny prickles of attraction attacked her flesh."Excuse me?" she murmured blankly."I was asking where you are going for dinner," Scott enlightened dryly. "Oh. I don’t know," Vivian let slip before she could think about it, watched his eyebrows arch, felt a deep inner niggle at the slip. "I am meeting someon
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 42
"Was insensitive, then," he altered, the chiseled line of his jaw clenching. "But it does not change the fact that your so-called date has either stood you up or is only too happy to leave you to stand around here like a fool!" "And that is your sensitive side talking?" So close to tears now, she had to push a hand up between them so she could cover her trembling mouth.A soft curse rattled from him. "I will take you to dinner," he offered, sounding so driven to say it that Vivian almost snapped the hand up higher to slap his face!But she didn’t because it would be annoying and juvenile of her to do it! "I can provide my own dinner," she told him stiffly."And you already have a date." "I did have a date until—" Scott stopped, compressing his lips, then dealt her a glinting glimmer of a look "—until I was stood up too," he finished dryly."You—?" It was like discovering he had a chink in his impenetrable Armour. Vivian was so intrigued by the phenomenon she stopped fighting his grip
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 43
"I have a sweet tooth." said Vivian. "Among other things," Scott murmured oddly.About to ask him what he meant by that— "Do you want coffee?" he got in before her."And spoil the taste of the wine? Thanks, no," she refused."Then if you’ve finished do you mind if we leave now?" he asked. "Oh…" Vivian tensed, her slender spine arching up on the sudden realization that she’d talked his socks off all the way through the meal! It was no wonder he was wearing that blank expression on his face. "I had lost track of how long we have been here…" "And the restaurant has emptied," Scott pointed out dryly. "We’re the last ones here…" Flickering a surprised glance around the empty tables she noticed the restaurant staff standing around, trying hard not to look impatient for them to leave. "Why didn’t you say something sooner?" she whispered from the depths of a sinking embarrassment."You were enjoying your meal. There was no need to rush." With the merest glance in the waiter’s direction h
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 44
Staring at him, feeling a sinking sense of confusion assail her, it all suddenly changed to a sense-crawling horror when she realized what they'd done. She spun away in a shaken, horrified need to escape but he stopped her. "Just get back in the car so I can take you home, Vivian" he said. His voice was calmer now, no longer angry, and maybe it was that tone that made her turn and began to move back towards his car. He walked beside her, not saying anything till they got to his car. He opened the door for her and when she got in, he went around and climbed into the driver's seat. The ride was quiet. They turned into the street on which her apartment block was situated, and Scott slowed down. "Was that just about the wine or did I do something wrong?" he asked. He just couldn’t leave it alone! "Why the sudden interest in my sleazy feelings, Scott?" "It’s not sleazy, Vivian," he pointed out. "Believe it or not, but I…. I… I care about you, damn it." Only slightly mollified by that
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 45
Sinking heavily back onto the bed, her fuzzy brain listed: San Francisco, A formal evening dress, an overnight bag or maybe a weekend or an entire week bag. Be ready to go by one o’clock… Then she was suddenly lurching into panic mode and using her phone to call Megan."Megan, you have to talk to Louis for me" she wrung out urgently."Louis?" Megan repeated. "Oh, my…what's wrong" "Nothing… I mean… I gotta quit my job at the cheesecake shop. I'd call him myself but I don't think there's time. It's also not fair to him to keep on missing my shifts so I have to quit" Vivian said, already feeling the chill of alarm skate down her spine. "I'll send him a message later and call him, but for now, I'm going to San Francisco…." "San Fran… what? Why?" Megan stammered. "Work" Vivian replied simply. "Oh, is Scott McCall taking you there?" "Yes" "Oh wow. That's nice. I'm sure Louis will understand. That is so cool… Take a brave pill before you go, sweetie," her best friend advised her. "Wha
IN BED WITH THE BOSS 46
He pulled open her door for her with more angry strength than the beautifully designed piece of equipment required. As she carefully maneuvered her high-heeled shoes over the sill of the car, his grim impatience with her transferred to the long fingers he clamped around her arm to help straighten her up. Arriving in front of him with more impulse than was necessary, she ended up almost flattened against him, which shocked her enough into glancing up.Their eyes clashed—his slightly narrowed and glinting golden warning shots for her to take care what she did or said next, hers sparking with bright defiance which dared him to make one of his cold, cutting comments gauged to knock her back down to size.But he went for a different kind of attack. He relaxed the corners of his hard, clipped mouth, slid a hand around her exposed nape, then lowered his head and captured her mouth with a hard, hot, plundering kiss!Astonishment thrilled through Vivian. It was so shockingly unexpected and so
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